Method and apparatus for producing a fabric



R. H. MARKS 3,214,943

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A FABRIC Nov. 2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1965 Rona /d /7. Ma Ni: 3 Eda/MA ATfOR/VEYS R. H. MARKS 3,214,943

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A FABRIC Nov. 2, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1963 INVENTOR.

1477'0 IV/VFYS R. H. MARKS 3,214,943 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A FABRIC Nov. 2, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1963 /?0/7a/0 Mar/h;

INVENTOR. MUD/1A] ATTO/r/VEVJ United States Patent "ice 3,214,943 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A FABRIC Ronald H. Marks, 7800 Sovereign Row, Dallas 35, Tex. Filed Aug. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 299,358 16 Claims. (Cl. 66-125) The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a knitted fabric. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a knitted fabric from a plurality of elements with such elements remaining continuously connected to their single feed source of raw material.

Prior to the present invention, fabrics have been made by knitting in which the individual elements being converted into the fabric have been processed onto a plurality of spools, cones or bobbins and then converted on a machine which utilizes such elements from their respec tive spools, cones or bobbins and intermingles the elements in orderly fashion by knitting to produce the desired fabric. In such prior processes many spools, cones, bobbins or a plurality of individual elements wound on beams are used, but each is independent of the other and they are fed into the machine and knitted into a fabric. Such elements generally are classified as yarns or threads which have been made from fibers such as cotton, wool, plastic or paper. As such they have been processed and wound in the form to be used prior to their introduction to the knitting machine; however, the fibers are subject to a lack of uniformity and require considerable processing before they are in a form suitable for the formation of a fabric. Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus in which the elements used for producing the fabric are still directly connected to the feed source of raw material from which the elements are derived.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for producing a fabric by knitting of elements in which the elements comprise narrow strips cut from a source of feed stock. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus in which a fabric is produced from a plurality of elements cut from a sheet or web of feed stock. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for producing a fabric from a paper roll feed stock in which individual elements are produced by slitting and such elements each remaining individually connected to the paper roll feed stock, are integrated by knitting to produce a fabric. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for making a fabric by knitting of a plurality of elements in which said elements during their knitting maintain their connection to the feed source of raw material. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for making a fabric from a substantially continuous source of relatively thin feed stock in which said feed stock is divided into elements and said elements are knitted while still connected to said source of feed stock.

These and other objects of the present invention are more fully discussed and are more fully explained and described with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevation of an apparatus embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is another schematic side elevation of the 3,214,943 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 and illustrating the driving mechanism for the components of the apparatus.

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view of the upper portion of the knitting machine and more clearly illustrating the feed guides for each strip element.

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective view of showing the manner in which each strip element is engaged and partially condensed by the knitting needles.

In the description of the present invention the end product which is to be made is described as a fabric. By use of the word fabric it is intended to encompass all materials made from an orderly intermingling of a plurality of elements by knitting. The elements hereinafter discussed are to be fed into the knitting machine which is to combine the elements and they may be in the state of relatively narrow flat strips of paper, for example, or they may be of any other suitable material from which a fabric is to be produced. In using paper in the present invention it has been found to be possible to feed the strips or elements of paper directly to the knitting machine without further treating the strips. In this direct feeding of the strips it has been found that the needles of a knitting machine will fold or otherwise condense the strips when engaging the strips and pulling them into the fabric. The paper strips or elements of other material being used may be condensed or otherwise processed to make them suitable and to produce the quality and type of fabric desired without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Also, the feed stock source or supply of raw material may be in any suitable form and material which is desired in the fabric to be produced as for example, a roll of or substantially continuous sheet of paper, plastic such as vinyl or other raw material which has not been previously processed as by beaming, spindling, twisting, or intermingling. The term feed stock supply of raw material as used herein is intended to include all types of raw material such as paper, plastic, and other suitable materials in any suitable form such as, for example, a roll or sheet of raw material and also a plastic in a suitable form for extrusion as a sheet or as a plurality of individual ele ments which may be fed directly into a knitting machine but not such sources of material as spindled yarns, beamed material or prefabricated material as the primary object of the present invention is to produce a knitted fabric directly from such raw material and eliminate the intermediate steps of processing the raw material by spindling, twisting, beaming or prefabricating. The material may be paper wound into a roll as illustrated in the drawings or it may be flat sheets of raw material which can be divided into a plurality of elements or fiat strips that are suitable for feeding directly into the knitting machine either with or without subsequent treatment and remain attached to the feed stock supply of raw material. In the drawings and specification hereof reference is made to a circular knitting machine but it is contemplated that any other knitting machine may be used. It has been found that the method is best suited to a weft knitting operation, which term weft knitting as used herein is intended to include all types of knitting except for the well known warp knitting.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows knitting machine 1 which is of a standard rotating cylinder type in which the supply of yarn normally used does not rotate. The spindles which are normally associated with a knitting machine of this type are replaced to maintain the desired tension in feed stock 11.

by feed guides 2 supported above knitting machine 1 by supports 3 and annular support ring 3a. In FIGURE 1 for the sake of clarity, only the two end feed guides 2 are shown but it should be understood that a plurality of such feed guides are provided, one for each strip element, as hereinafter explained.

'Frame 4 is supported by legs 5. Shaft 6 is supported at each end by a bearing block such as bearing block 7 which is secured to frame 4. Feed stock roll '8 is positioned on shaft 6 as shown in FIGURE 1 and material is withdrawn therefrom as a substantially continuous flat sheet or web. Shaft -6 is provided with hub 9 to which brake 10 (shown in FIGURE 2) is attached. Brake 10 functions to apply friction to shaft 6 and is preferably adjustable.

Feed stock 11 is withdrawn from feed stock roll 8 as a wide flat sheet and is drawn around upper roll 12 and under lower roll 13. Lower roll 13 is driven as hereinafter more fully explained to Withdraw feed stock 11 from feed stock roll 8 at a desired rate and to coact with brake The feed stock '11 leaving lower roll 13 passes through cutter feed guide 14, through cutter 15 wherein it is cut into elements 22. Elements 22 pass through alignment comb 16, spreading comb 1 7, over applicator roll 18 which is positioned within tank 19, over upper roll and under lower roll 21 to feed guides 2. The feed guides 2 may be of any suitable form but are preferably elongate as shown in FIGURE 1. Each of the feed guides 2 is suitably secured at its base to the annular support ring 3a extending arcuately upwardly as shown and terminates in an element receiving loop 2a. Each of the elements 22, as shown in both FIGURES 1 and 3, extend through loop 2a of one of the feed guides and then downwardly to one of the individual feeding stations of theknitting machine 1. Upper and lower rolls 20 and 21 are of a design similar to rolls 12 and 13 and are driven as hereinafter more fully explained with respect to desired rate of movement of elements 22 to feed guides 2 and to maintain the desired tension in elements 22.

Feed stock 11 as drawn from feed stock roll 8 is a substantially continuous, relatively wide sheet of flat material. Feed stock 11 is cut into a plurality of elements 22 in passing through cutter 15. Alignment comb 16 is provided to maintain a straight draw of elements 22 from the discharge side of cutter 15 to. provide a uniformity of width of elements 22. Elements '22 next pass through spreading comb 17 which is substantially similar to alignment comb 16 but is expanded to cause elements 22 to be spread apart and feed onto applicator roll 18 uniformly with no overlapping of elements.

Applicator roll 18 and tank 19 are provided to treat elements 22 in the event that treatment is desired or necessary. Treatment of elements 22 will depend upon the material of feed stock 11. This treatment may be solely for the purpose of applying sizing to elements 22 so that they will have a desired texture or quality in the finished product, and in many instances the material being used may not be treated in any way. In such instances, applicator roll 18 and tank 19 may be omitted from the apparatus. Often in processing material such as paper, it is desirable to provide a suitable wetting tomake the material more pliable and susceptible to an orderly intermingling into a fabric. The treating of elements 22 also contemplates the orientation of some synthetic materials in which additional tension is applied to elements 22 to draw them into the desired orientated state. Some materials which may be utilized in the present invention may be more pliable and susceptible to knitting, weaving or other form of orderly intermingling into a fabric if they are heated after being cut into elements. The heating of such materials is contemplated by the present invention in place of the application of a liquid to elements 22 by applicator roll 18. Treating of elements 22 thus encompasses all of the aforementioned treatments and any other desired preparation of elements '22 taking place between cutter 15 and'knitting machine 1.

Knitting machine 1 is provided with a power source (not shown) which provides the power to operate the machine and also rotates sprocket 23 which is shown schematically in FIGURE 1. Sprocket 23 is connected by chain 24 to drive sprocket 25. Sheave 26 is positioned on the same shaft as sprocket 25 and is connected by belt 27 to sheave 28 on variable speed transmission means 29. Sheave 30 is connected to variable speed transmission means 29 and is connected by belt 31 to sheave 32 on cutter 15. Rotation of sprocket 23 in response to the operation of knitting machine 1 will rotate sprocket 25 by the connection provided by chain 24. Rotation of sprocket 25 will cause a rotation of sheave 28 by the connection of belt 27. Rotation of sheave 28 will be transmitted through variable speed transmission means 29 and will result in the desired rotational speed of sheave 30. The rotation of sheave 30 is transmitted by belt 31 to sheave 32 on cutter 15. The shaft on which sheave 32 is mounted is connected in-to cutter -15 and provides for the rotation of cutting blades 33 and 34 and also sprocket 35. It should be noticed that sprocket 35 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation of sheave 32 and that cutting blades 33 and 34 rotate in opposite directions with the edges of cutting blades 33 and 34 which cut feed stock 11 turning in the direction of movement of feed stock 11 between cutting blades 33 and 34. Sprockets 36 and 37 are mounted on rolls 13 and 21 respectively. Idler sprocket 38 is suitably mounted to frame 4 as best shown in FIGURE 2. Timing belt 39, a flexible belt having inwardly projecting teeth in the form of a continuous rack, extends around sprockets 35, 36 and 37 and idler sprocket 38. Sheave 32 is also connected by belt 40 to sheave 41 on applicator roll 18.

:From the foregoing description of driving connections it can be seen that power derived from knitting machine 1 is transmitted through variable speed transmission means 29 which is preset to provide the desired speed of travel of feed stock 11 and of elements 22 to knitting machine 1, and the rotation of cutting blades 33 and 34 of cutter 15. It should be understood that various types of knitting will require that elements 22 be fed to knitting machine 1 at different speeds. With variable speed transmission means 29 being preset the desired rotation is transmitted through belt 31 to sheave 32 which determines the speed of rotation of cutting blades 33 and 34 and of sprocket 35. The transmission of the input rotation by sheave 32 to cutting blades 33 and 34 and to sprocket 35 is accomplished by any suitable means but may be handled by suitable gearing connections within cutter 15 which are normally provided. Sheave 32 is a double sheave and receives belt 40 which transmits rotation to sheave 41 to rotate applicator roll 18. Rolls 12, 13, 20 and 21 are schematically shown and act as a means of moving feed stock 11 and elements 22 through the apparatus from feed stock roll 8 to knitting machine 1 and also act to provide tension in feed stock 11 and elements 22. Any suitable tensioning drive means may be used with the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. A typical example and full explanation of such a device and its operation with respect to the handling of paper which is taken from a roll and cut is fully disclosed in the patents to Ronald H. Marks et al., No. 3,077,723,

' and 13 and feeds through guide 14 into cutter 15 wherein the feed stock is cut into a plurality of elements 22 by cutting blades 33 and 34. Elements 22 are pulled through alignment comb 16 and spreading comb 17 and over applicator roll 18 for treatment with the material contained within tank 19 by rolls 20 and 21. Elements 22 are then delivered to guides 2 and into knitting machine 1 wherein the desired fabric is made from elements 22. When feed stock roll 8 is exhausted, then another roll of paper may replace it and can be suitably spliced to the end of the exhausted roll while all of the apparatus is shut down or a flying splice made so that the fabric being made is at all times connected to the source of feed stock from which it is being made.

The step of treating of the feed stock will not in all cases be essential to the successful production of the fabric being made and knitting machine 1 is shown as a typical example of a machine which will make a fabric from a plurality of elements by an orderly intermingling of such elements.

It is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention that the elements 22 may be otherwise treated as hereinbefore mentioned. One specific example of such other treating of elements 22 would be the inclusion of means which would condense elements 22 from a fiat strip to a different configuration. Such means could include a condensing die or rolls which would fold the elements. It has been found in the operation of the apparatus of the present invention using a knitting machine that the catching of the elements 22 by the hook of the needles will, because of the relatively small size of the hook with respect to the width of each element, cause elements 22 to be partially condensed or folded thereby integrating the elements 22 into the fabric being produced in a form which is generally more desirable in fabrics. Since the standard knitting machine is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1, it is to be understood that all structural details thereof are not shown. However, in FIGURE 4 the usual guide opening 40 located in a guide member 41 is shown; the opening is located to pass an element to be knitted to the usual knitting needles, the upper ends of three such needles appearing at 42, 43 and 44. Each element 22 passes through the opening 40 and is directed to a position which will locate it for engagement by the hook ends of said knitting needles. As each of the needles commences its downward travel, the element 22 is condensed or folded and upon pulling of the element through the previously formed knitting loop in the usual manner, the element is further crimped and condensed whereby each element is rendered amenable to the knitting operation. While a roll form of feed stock is preferred a plurality of strips from any source may be fed to a knitting machine for producing a fabric and the above-described condensing of the strips by the needles of the knitting machine will be accomplished.

The cutting means which have been hereinbefore described are of the shear roll type such as shown in my. prior Patents Nos. 2,896,393, issued July 28, 1959, and

supplied by a roll of paper, into a plurality of narrow flat Any means which will cut the feed stock into a strips. plurality of elements which may remain connected to the feed stock during the production of a fabric would be suitable for use with the present invention. It is contemplated that elements 22 may be of varying sizes, e.g., alternating relatively wide strips and narrow strips as required to produce any desired fabric pattern or fabric texture.

It is further contemplated that the present invention could be used with other sources of elements to be combined in the fabric by providing a group of spindles which would supply such elements as might be desirable to produce the finished fabric so long as the elements produced from the feed stock are fed directly to the fabric-producing machine while they remain connected to the feed stock. The foregoing description of knitting machine 1 refers to a circular knitting machine that is a type in which the spindles do not rotate but the present invention should not be so limited as it is contemplated that with a rotating spindle machine that the feed stock source, the cutting means and the treating process equipment may all be suitably mounted for rotation above the machine to provide a rotating supply of elements tothe fabric-producing machine.

The source of supply such as feed stock roll 8 is contemplated to be a substantially continuous source of supply. The splicing of another roll of feed stock supply to the end of the roll being used will provide a continuous source of supply but is not necessary as one roll may be considered to be a substantially continuous source of supply. The continuity required is in maintaining the connection of the elements to the feed stock during the time that the fabric is being produced. Obviously, if a single roll of feed stock is sufiicient to produce the amount of fabric desired then the single roll would be considered to be a substantially continuous source of supply since the fabric will at all times during fabrication be con nected by the elements to the source of supply.

As has been hereinbefore stated, the present invention provides a method and an apparatus in which a fabric is made from the orderly intermingling of elements while the elements are still connected back through the apparatus to their source. This invention therefore eliminates the apparatus for and the step of processing a material into yarn and winding the yarn on spools or cones to be later used in a machine which produces the desired fabric. A suitable source of feed stock may be in any form providing the material is suitable for dividing into a plurality of elements which may be delivered to a fabric-form ing machine with or without intermediate treatment.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the method, as Well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of producing a weft-knitted fabric from a feed stock supply of raw material comprising,

withdrawing material from said feed stock supply,

forming said withdrawn material into a plurality of flat strip elements of preselected widths while the elements remain attached to the feed stock supply, and

weft-knitting portions of said fiat strip elements into a fabric while the unknitted portions of said elements remain connected to said feed stock supply.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 together with the additional step of,

treating the flat strip elements after forming and prior to the knitting thereof to render said elements amenable to said knitting.

3. The method set forth in claim 1 together with the additional step of,

converting at least a part of each of said flat strip elements into a condensed shape after said forming step and prior to completion of said knitting step. 4. The method as set forth in claim 1 together with the additional step of,

converting at least a part of each of said flat strip elements into a condensed shape during said knitting step.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the weft-knitting step is performed on a circular knitting machine.

6. An apparatus for Weft-knitting a fabric comprising,

a source of flat sheet material having a predetermined width,

a cutter,

means delivering sheet material from said source to said cutter,

said cutter having means for cutting said flat sheet material into a plurality of flat strip elements of preselected widths without regard to the total width of the source of flat sheet material, said elements remaining connected to said source of sheet material,

a weft-knitting machine having knitting needles, and

means delivering said flat strip elements from said cutter to said knitting machine whereby said elements are engaged by said knitting needles and knit into a fabric on said knitting machine,

the width of each flat strip being related to the knitting needle which engages the same to assure that the operation of the knitting machine will perform an eificient knitting operation.

7. An apparatus for weft-knitting a fabric as set forth in claim 6, wherein the source of the flat sheet material is in a dry state,

and

means for treating each of the dry state flat strip elements prior to the delivery of said elements to said knitting machine to condition said elements for efiicient knitting by said knitting machine.

8. An apparatus for weft-knitting a fabric as set forth in claim 6, together with means controlling the speed of said delivering means in relationship to the speed of operation of said knitting machine to maintain a preselected tension in said flat strip elements passing to said knitting machine.

9. An apparatus for weft-knitting a fabric comprising,

a source of flat sheet material having a predetermined width,

a cutter,

means delivering sheet material from said source to said cutter,

said cutter having means for cutting said flat sheet material into a plurality of flat strip elements of preselected widths without regard to the total width of the source of flat sheet material, said elements remaining connected to said source of sheet material, a weft-knitting machine having knitting needles, and means delivering said flat strip elements from said cutter to said knitting machine whereby said elements are engaged by said knitting needles and knit into a fabric on said knitting machine,

the width of each flat strip element being preselected in relationship to the size of the knitting needle to which the strip is delivered to thereby cause the needle to change the flat shape of at least part of said strip element into a condensed shape to assure an efiicient knitting operation.

10. The combination with a circular weft knitting machine having knitting needles, of an apparatus for supplying material thereto, said apparatus including,

a feed stock roll of flat sheet paper,

cutting means for cutting said flat sheet paper into a plurality of strips while said strips remain connected to said feed stock roll, and

means guiding and delivering said strips to the knitting needles of said knitting machine,

parts of each of said paper strips being condensed by the knitting needles of said knitting machine to render the strips more amenable to the knitting operation.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10, wherein the feed stock roll of paper is in a dry state, and

means for moistening said strips prior to the delivery of said strips to the needles of said knitting machine whereby said element are Conditioned for said knitting operation,

' with means controlling the speed of operation of said delivering means in relationship to the speed of operation of said knitting machine to maintain a preselected tension in said strips passing to said knitting machine.

13. The method of producing a knitted fabric from a feed stock supply consisting of unknitted, unwoven flat sheet material comprising,

withdrawing said material from said feed stock supply, cutting said withdrawn material into a plurality of flat strip elements, each element being cut to any individually predetermined width, while the elements remain attached to the feed stock supply,

delivering the fiat strip elements to the knitting needles of a knitting machine,

the width of each flat strip element being preselected in relationship to the size of the knitting needle to which the strip is delivered to assure efiicient knitting of all of said elements into a fabric, and

knitting portions of said flat strip elements into a fabric while the unknitted portions of said elements remain connected to said feed stock supply.

14. The method of producing a knitted fabric from a feed stock supply consisting of unknitted, unwoven flat sheet material comprising,

withdrawing said material from said feed stock supply,

cutting said withdrawn material into a plurality of flat strip elements, each element being cut to any individually predetermined width, while the elements remain attached to the feed stock supply,

delivering the flat strip elements to the knitting needles of a knitting machine,

the width of each fiat strip element being preselected in relationship to the size of the knitting needle which engages said strip element so that the engagement of said needle with the strip element functions to condense part of said strip element to render it amenable to a knitting operation, and

knitting portions of said flat strip elements into a fabric while the unknitted portions of said elements remain connected to said feed stock supply.

15. The method of producing a knitted fabric from a feed stock supply consisting of a fiat sheet plastic material comprising,

withdrawing said material from said feed stock supply,

cutting said withdrawn material into a plurality of flat strip elements, each element being cut to any individually predetermined width, while the elements remain attached to the feed stock supply,

delivering the flat strip elements to the knitting needles of a knitting machine,

the width of each fiat strip element being preselected in relationship to the size of the knitting needle to which the strip is delivered to assure efficient knitting of all of said elements into a fabric, and

knitting portions of said flat strip elements into a fabric while the unknitted portions of said elements remain connected to said feed stock supply.

16. The method of producing a knitted fabric from a feed stock supply consisting of a fiat sheet plastic material comprising,

withdrawing said material from said feed stock supply,

cutting said withdrawn material into a plurality of flat strip elements, each element being cut to any individually predetermined width, while the elements remain attached to the feed stock supply,

delivering the fiat strip elements to the knitting needles of a knitting machine,

the width of each fiat strip element being preselected in relationship to the size of the knitting needle which engages said strip element so that the engagement of said needle with the strip element functions 9 to condense part of said strip element to render it amenable to a knitting operation, and knitting portions of said flat strip elements into a fabric while the unknitted portions of said elements remain connected to said feed stock supply.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,862,687 6/ 32. Larsen 139-11 1,901,250

12/47 Johnson 2872 5/51 Johnson et a1 281 5/52 Johnson et a1 281.2 11/61 Marks 5732 X FOREIGN PATENTS 12/54 Austria.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

3/33 Mattler 139-11 10 RUSSELL c. MADER, Examiner. 

6. AN APPARATUS FOR WEFT-KNITTING A FABRIC COMPRISING, A SOURCE OF FLAT SHEET MATERIAL HAVING A PREDTERMINED WIDTH, A CUTTER, MEANS DELIVERING SHEET MATERIAL FROM SAID SOURCE TO SAID CUTTER, SAID CUTTER HAVING MEANS FOR CUTTING SAID FLAT SHEET MATERIAL INTO A PLURALITY OF FLAT STRIP ELEMENTS OF PRESELECTED WIDTHS WIHTOUT REGARD TO THE TOTAL WIDTH OF THE SOURCE OF FLAT SHEET MATERIAL, SIAD ELEMENTS REMAINING CONNECTED TO SAID SOURCE OF SHEET MATERIAL, A WEFT-KNITTING HAVING KNITTING NEEDLES, AND MEANS DELIVERING SAID FLAT STRIP ELEMENTS FROM SAID CUTTER TO SAID KNITTING MACHINE WHEREBY SAID ELEMENTS ARE ENGAGED BY SAID KNITTING NEEDLES AND KNIT INTO A FABRIC ON SAID KNITTING MACHINE, THE WIDTH OF EACH FLAT STRIP BEING RELATED TO THE KNITTING NEEDLE WHICH ENGAGES THE SAME TO ASSURE THAT THE OPERATION OF THE KNITTING MACHINE WILL PERFORM AN EFFICIENT KNITTING OPERATION.
 13. THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A KNITTED FABRIC FROM A FEED STOCK SUPPLY CONSISTING OF UNKNITTED, UNWOVEN FLAT SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING, WITHDRAWING SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID FEED STOCK SUPPLY, CUTTING SAID WITHDRAWN MATERIAL INTO A PLURALITY OF FLAT STRIP ELEMENTS, EACH ELEMENT BEING CUT TO ANY INDIVIDUALLY PREDETERMINED WIDTH, WHILE THE ELEMENTS REMAIN ATTACHED TO THE FEED STOCK SUPPLY, DELIVERING THE FLAT STRIP ELEMENTS TO THE KNITTING NEEDLES OF A KNITTING MACHINE, THE WIDTH OF EACH FLAT STIRP ELEMENT BEING PRESELECTED IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE SIZE OF THE KNITTING NEEDLE TO WHICH THE STRIP IS DELIVERED TO ASSURE EFFICIENT KNITTING OF ALL OF SAID ELEMENTS INTO A FABRIC, AND KNITTING PORTIONS OF SAID FLAT STRIP ELEMENTS INTO A FABRICWHILE THE UNKNITTED PORTION OF SAID ELEMENTS REMAIN CONNECTED TO SAID FEED STOCK SUPPLY. 